Interlocking mechanism



Oct. 13, 1925. 1,556,829

C. W. WYMAN INTERLOCKING MECHANISM Filfid may 28, 1520 War. A 01/ A Z 70 Patented Oct. 13, 1925.:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. WYMAN, OF CLAREKONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE,- ASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN I MACHINERY COMPANY, I CORPORATION 01 MASSACHUSETTS.

INTE BLOCKING MECHANISM.

Application filed Kay 28, 1920. Serial NO-\385,012..

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CHARLES W; VVYMAN, acitizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Claremont, in thecount of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interlocking Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. a My invention relates mechanism.

It has for its object to provide an improved interlocking mechanism especially to interlocking "adapted to the control of an electric switch and one or more cooperating connector elements. whereby the switch is controlled by said elements and the latter are controlled by the switch. More particularly, my in vention has for its object to provide an improved -interconnected controlling mechanism controlling a switch and a pluraht of cooperating connectors or fuse plugs suc as movement of said switch or said connector or fuse plugs.

While my invention may be embodied in various forms, in the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which the same may assume in practice, illustrating this form of the same as applied to a mining machine.

In these drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mining ma chine equipped with in improvement.

Fig. 2 is an enlarg detail sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1, the switch and plug being shown in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2, the switch however being shown .in open position.

Fig. 4 is a similar detail view showing the switch and plug in open position.

In this illustrative construction, I have disclosed a mining machine 1 of standard construction and suitably supplied with three phasealternating current through a cable 2 having component leads 3, 4, and 5.

The current flow through these several leads of the three-phase circuit illustrated is controlled by a suitable main line switch, herein a knife switch carried on the ma- 'of, herein three, movable switch contacts 6 each in turn cooperating with a pair of cooperating fixed contacts 7 and 8, of which the contacts 8 are each electrically connected to one of three socket contacts 9 adapted to receive a plurality of, herein three, connector and fuse plugs 10, 11, and 12 which in turn are electrically connected to plug receiving ring contacts 13 from which the current flows to the motor ofthe mining machine through the usual conductors 14.

In my improved construction, it will be observed that the three movable switch contacts' 6 are attached to a movable element or cross bar 15 operatively connected through lugs .16 and pins 17 to an operating rock shaft 18 journaled in a removable cover 19 of a suitable switch and plug recess 20 formed in the side of the mining machine frame. This rod 18 is disposed at right angles to the axes of the plugs 10, 11, and 12, herein near the outer ends thereof, and, as illus trated, is rovided with a laterally extending contro lling handle 21 on its outer .end sothat in a single operation the operator ma make or break the current flow through eac of the three phases. In my improved construction this switch is also operatively connected to the plugs, the shaft 18 thereof, as illustrated herein, preferably being provided with laterally disposed grooves or cutout portions 22 opposite the outer end of each of the plugs. These grooves 22 are each adapted to receive a laterally extending fin or web 23 formed on the neck of each plug when the switch is in the open position thereof illustrated in Fig. 4. Further, the shaft 18 is also adapted to cooperate with semi-circular cut-away'portions 24 formed ineach of the fins, the shaft when rotated to circuit-closing position after the plugs have been inserted, interlocking with the walls of the ortions 24 in such a manner as to lock the p ugs-in their in position, and render removal of the plugs or any of them impossible after the switch has been moved to closed position and while the switch occupies that position. I have also provided ad acent the plugs and likewise adapted to be received in the grooves 22 of the shaft 18, a plurality of spring pressed plun ers 25 disposed parallel to the lugs an each adapted to be engaged by t e fin or web 23 of its plug and depressed thereby when the plug is imposition and released thereby when the same is removed. Thus, any plunger spring 26 may project its plunger into a groove 22 when the switch'is in open posi-' tion and thereby prevent a rotary movement of the switch shaft 18 toward ciosed position. In considering the operation of in improved controlling mechanism, it will be observed that when the parts are located in their circuit closing position, shown in Fig. 2, current may flow through the leads 3, 4, and 5, through the switch contacts 7, 6,8, and 9, the plu s 10, 11, and 12, the ring contacts 13, and t e conductors 14, to the mining machine motor, the switch being freely operable whenever desired so long as the plugs remain in position. Further, it will be noted that when the parts are in this osition, each of the plugs 10, 11, and 12 is ockedin, the member 18 being so turned in the cut-away portion 24 in the fins on the plugs, as to hold the latter securely against withdrawal. Thus, to remove a plug, it is first necessary to move the switch y from the closed. position shown in Fig. 2

to the open positlon' shown in Fig. 4, and then the plug may be withdrawn by a simple longitudlnal movement. When this occurs, however, it will be observed that the previously compressed spring 26 acting on the lunger of that particular plug, will be reeased, so that its plunger will simultaneously spring outward into the groove 22 in the swltch shaft in such a manner as to prevent any movement of the switch to closing position, while the plug is removed. In other words, it will be noted that the switch is automatically locked in open osi tion upon the removal of. any one o the plurality of plugs and is retained in that position until the missing plug is returned to its full-in or operative position.

As a result of my improved construction, it will be observed that it is possible to lock or unlock the parts and control the same through a movement of the switch and a simple longitudinal movement of a single plug. It will furtherbe evident that the What I claim as new and desire to secure y from Letters Patent is:

1. In an interlocking mechanism, a switch,

except when sai a plurality of separately removable cooperatin connectors, and plunger mechanism locking said switch releasable upon insertion of all of said connectors,

22. In an interlocking mechanism, a switch, a plurality of separately removable cooperating connectors and plunger mechanism for tionary contact, a removable connector element adapted to make connection with said stationary connector element, and interlockin connections controlled by said removab e connector element preventing engagement of said contacts except when said ,connector elements are connected.

5. In combination, a switch having movable and stationary contacts, a stationary connector element connected to one of said contacts, a removable connector element adapted to make connections with said stationary connector ,element, and interlocking connections cont-rolled by longitudinal movement of said removable connector element preventing engagement of said vccntacts except when said connector elements are connected.

6. In combination, a switch having movable and stationary contacts, said movable contact supported upon a pivot member, a stationary connector element connected to one of said contacts, a removable connector element adapted to make connection with said stationary connector element, and interlocking connections controlled by longitudinal movement of saidremovable connector element and coacting with saidvpivot member to prevent en agement of said contacts connector elements are connected.

7. In an interlocking mechanism, a switch having a grooved rotatable member, a connector relative to which said member is rotatable, and a lunger movable relative to and controlled by said connector and receivable insaid groove.

8. In an interlocking mechanism, a switch having a rotatable member provided with a plurality of grooves therein, a plurality of cooperating connectors, and a plurality of plungers, one receivable in "each of said grooves and each controlled by one of said connectors.

9. In an interlocking mechanism, a switch having a rotatable shaft provided with a plurality of grooves, a plurality of cooper-ating connectors each having a portion movabl through one groove and a recess permitting free rotation of said shaft, and

Y plungers controlled by said connectors and having-a rotatable operating shaft, a plu-' rality of separately movable connector plugs disposed parallel to each other and perpendicular to a line parallel to the axis of said rotatable opera-ting shaft, and interlocking means between said shaft and said connector plugs operative to prevent removal of i any of the latter except when the former is in a position in which said switch is in open circuit position andto prevent movement of said shaft to a position in which said switch is in circuit closing position except when all said plugs are in place.

'12. In an interlocking mechanism, a switch member having a rotatable operating shaft,

a connector plug insertable and removable by movements in the plane of rotation of said switch member, and means having a direction of movement parallel to the movement of said plug during insertion or re moval of the latter for .locking said switch member when said connector plug is removed.

13. In an interlocking mechanism, a plurality of switch members, a single rotatable operating shaft for all of said switch memhere, a plurality of connector plugs equal'in number to said switch members and each removable by movement in a direction arallel to a plane which is parallel to the p aneof movement of said -switch members, and means controlled by each of said connector" plugs for locking said switch member when any of said connector plugs is removed.

14. In combination, a switch comprising a rotating operating shaft, a connector plug adapted to constitute a part of the circuit which is controlled by said switch, said shaft being provided with a lateral notch through which a portion of said plug may move in one position of said shaft and said plug having a lateral notch to receive in one position of said plug the arcuate periphery of said shaft, and means controlled by said plug and operative to enter said first mentioned notch on removal of said plug whereby said switch is held immovable on removal of said plug. v

15. In an electrical" apparatus, longitudinally spaced contacts adapted to receive a longitudinally insertable connector, and ,a knife switch having a blade swingable in a plane parallel to the direction of insertion of said connector and stationary contacts adapted to cooperate with said blade and each adjacent one of said longitudinally spaced contacts.

16. In an electrical apparatus, longitudi' nally spaced contacts adapted to receive a longitudinally insertable connector, and a knife switch having a blade swingable in a plane parallel to the direction of insertion of said connector and stationary contacts adapted to cooperate with said blade and each adjacent one of said longitudinally spaced contacts, said knife being disposed parallel to the path of insertion of said connector when in closed position.

17. In an electrical apparatus, longitudinally spaced annular contacts adapted to receive a longitudinally insertable connector comprising cooperating spaced contacts connected by a fuse, and a knife switch having a blade swingable in a plane parallel to the direction of insertion of said connector and stationary contacts adapted to cooperate with said blade and each adjacent one of said longitudinally spaced contacts.

18. In an electrical apparatus, spaced coaxial fuse engaging contacts adapted to receive a longitudinally insertable fuse, a

knife switch adapted when closed to be disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said plug and having its knife contact rotatable about an axis adjacent said plug, and means rotatable-about said latter axis to lock said plug in position.'

19. In an electrical apparatus, a fuse plug, a stationary contact adapted to receive said plug longitudinally upon insertion of the latter, and a knife switch contact, said contacts having a common immediate support and said second contact being adapted to cooperate with a switch blade moving in a plane arallel to the direction of insertion of said p ug.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature;

CHARLES W. WYMAN. 

